


My Teacher

by galadarius



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Comfort, Gen, Nightmare, Post-nightmare comfort, Silver Snow spoilers, Spoilers, Violence, Visions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-23
Updated: 2019-09-23
Packaged: 2020-10-26 12:04:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20741921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/galadarius/pseuds/galadarius
Summary: Byleth has a nightmare about her beloved student Edelgard, and seeks her comfort.





	My Teacher

**Author's Note:**

> This is really thrown together and I apologize for that, this is another fic that I just can't make myself work on any longer. What happened to my patience? I guess I just really wanted a short but tender fic about my favorite Three Houses character.
> 
> If you didn't see it in the summary or tags, this story contains _major_ spoilers for the Silver Snow route, and brief mentions of intense violence.

Though the night was peaceful, Professor Eisner of the Black Eagles awoke as the moon was high. She sat up in bed and clutched her blankets to her heaving chest, hoping in vain that the warmth would soothe her. Despite the sweat on her blankets, the professor felt cold as she stumbled into a robe and her shoes. She needed to find the subject of her nightmare, even at this hour.

It was doubtful that Edelgard would be awake, so it was to the professor’s surprise that she found her standing in a quiet corner of the monastery. No one was with her, and Edelgard was gazing silently at the night sky. Closing her eyes for a moment, the professor cleared her throat, but Edelgard’s startled expression softened when she saw her visitor.

“Oh, good evening, Professor,” she said, bending a customary bow, “I presume you couldn’t sleep, either. To what do I owe this late pleasure?”

“Lady Edelgard… May I speak with you, privately?” the professor asked, glancing behind herself to see if they were alone.

“Of course,” Edelgard nodded, though her smile faded invisibly, “shall we go to your quarters? The monastery’s public areas aren’t exactly confidential, even at night.”

The professor nodded mutely, and led Edelgard back to her room. She wished she had been taking better care of her quarters as Edelgard looked for a place to sit, but any comments about the state of her room went unsaid. For a long moment, the two women sat in silence, with the professor struggling to find the courage to detail her nightmare. Edelgard’s steady gaze was appraising, but lacked its usual stern quality. 

“So, may I inquire what you need me for?” Edelgard asked, her voice not impatient so much as curious. The professor flinched involuntarily, as if her student had insulted her.

“I… I had a nightmare,” the professor started, wiping at her eyes hurriedly. Again, Edelgard nodded, and when the professor didn’t continue, she asked, “Did you wish to talk about that?”

“Yes, but… it’s- it was about you, Lady Edelgard.”

Edelgard blinked, but her voice was calm as she prompted, “I… I see, Professor. I assure you, you have nothing to fear from me, regardless of what I may have done. But may I ask what it was? What was your nightmare about, if you remember all of it?”

“I know that,” the professor said quickly, “it’s not about anything you did, Lady Edelgard… I’ll try to explain a-as much as I can. 

I was… you are I, we were in a strange place I’ve never seen before. It looked like a castle, but it was empty and dark. There was no one else but you, and you looked… different… you were hurt, kneeling, bleeding…”

The professor trailed off, hanging her head as more tears threatened to spill. Edelgard was generally not patient with hysterical behavior, however warranted it might be. She had chastised her professor the other day for bursting into tears after one of the monastery’s students had received the news that his father had been slain. 

But Edelgard only said, “Go on, please,” and the professor calmed herself with several deep breaths before continuing. 

“You… were wearing armor, and you had a weapon in your hand. I was holding my sword… The Sword of the Creator, and you told me- I could barely hear your voice… to kill you, that you wanted to die by my hand, that you wanted to walk with me… And then, with one blow… I-”

The image came back to the professor; the sight of Edelgard prostrate at her feet as the legendary sword sliced flesh and turned the floor red. She sobbed again, louder than when she was alone, her body curling into a knot of anguish as tears wet her cheeks. Then, there was the touch of a gloved hand against it.

“Oh, my dear teacher,” Edelgard whispered as she lifted her professor’s face, “the horror of war is taking its toll on you. ”

Withdrawing a small handkerchief from the professor’s shelf, Edelgard dried the tears from her professor’s eyes as they fell. Her wet eyes stared into Edelgard’s pale ones.

“I would never raise a hand against you. I would have turned my blade onto myself before I hurt you, Lady Edelgard.” 

The professor’s voice was hoarse and her throat hurt as she spoke. Edelgard took one of her hands and held it in her own, looking at her steadily.

“I know that, my teacher. I have the strongest faith in you. You have a tender heart, and I know that you dislike violence. Though I cannot say why you might have such a dream about me, if this is the first instance… Unless, you secretly fear me? Or perhaps think I cannot be trusted?”

“No, not at all,” the professor said, shaking her head, “that’s why I came to you, Lady Edelgard, because I knew I could trust you. I would not have told anyone else.”

“Well, I agree that’s a sensible option,” Edelgard answered, “I appreciate your confiding in me, but I would advise you to try and put this out of your mind, Professor. I understand your distress, but it would not do for you to let it hold you back from your duties. Everyone will be expecting you to instruct tomorrow, so it would be best that you rest now, if you are able.”

“I understand, and I am,” the professor said. The prospect of trying to sleep again in a silent, dark room was not a pleasant one, but she knew there was no alternative. “But, Lady Edelgard… thank you, I think I’ll be feeling better after I rest.”

“Of course.” 

Edelgard rose from her seat to leave, but before opening the quarters’ door, she said more quietly, “Don’t hesitate to find me again if you have the same nightmare, Professor. I would not sleep soundly if I knew you were troubled by such terrible visions.”

“Thank you,” the professor said, and managed to smile for a moment as Edelgard bowed once more. In a few more moments, as a crescent moon brightened the quiet monastery, the professor had fallen back into a peaceful sleep. Edelgard had returned to her spot at the bridge, gazing silently into the night.


End file.
